Moving to Phoenix, Give me the local input

[Kankan88]

Never seen a snake or scorpion, but those crickets are what get on my nerves! Best to have pest control here, but I know some people who don't and they are still alive.

[slackjaw]

That's an interesting point.

I once caught a scorpion and a coworker wanted to see it so I brought it to work with me for show & tell. I'd say of about 20 people there maybe 2 had ever seen one and they had all lived in Arizona for years, so that is probably a good indicator of how big a problem it is.

I've seen exactly two snakes since here, one rattler on the road at White Tank (that's a mountain preserve) and one small snake next to a suburban canal. I don't know what kind that was but it wasn't a rattlesnake.

[LocoAZnative]

I have never had pest control come @ and have lived at the same house for 13 years. I have zero pests so if you don't want them dont live in the new houses that were desert within the last 5 years or live near a mountain.

[BiGDB3]

1. I have yet to see a scorpion yet my friends have encountered them before. Snakes are rare to see in the residential and developed areas. The more desert you see, the more likely you are to see what arizona is known for (rattlers, mountain lions, etc.). Ive seen a mountain lion but i was in the mountains. Youll be fine in terms of wildlife.

2. Like azriverfan said, youll have to pay for the life. Scottsdale has been voted one of the best cities in the US. Tempe is known for asu and nightlife. Glendale is home of the nfl cardinals. Youre best bet is to find a nice home that suits you within a 5 mile radius of what you want (nightlife-Tempe) because it really is only a 5-10 minute drive. Its very bearable. I live a few miles away (mesa) from tempe and i love it. My home comfortability is worth more than the trivial drive.

3. Crime is everywhere in the world. The valley is no exception. So long as you reside in a midclass area, youll most likely not even hear of kidnappings and illegals near your area.

4. I own some hotels and I have them regularly sprayed and inspected for everything almost every month. You could probably just have your house sprayed and inspected 2-4 times a year and maintain your house for cheaper by getting some chemicals from the pest stores and spraying them yourself every month.

I love being in arizona. Its just an overally amazing and rejuvenating city. You can be in one city with snow and drive to another city and be in the sun in the same day. Theres endless things to do so long as you live and do things right. Go clubbing one day, go to the lake the next, etc. Just live here and youll come to love it. Welcome!

[Jukesgrrl]

Originally Posted by LocoAZnative

I have never had pest control come @ and have lived at the same house for 13 years. I have zero pests so if you don't want them dont live in the new houses that were desert within the last 5 years or live near a mountain.

Aren't you worried about termites? They're rampant in Arizona.